+ > & @ wd Forward Redrow Stop FrBdtt Homepage History Printing Save Profrenoos aS at aa That was the first thing they said to me, the first time I was “contacted.” In that moment a horrendous eeu eum Re me Lae COR ee eee on Ue society made — that there was nothing to fear, that everything would be okay — were a lie. What happened to me? What am I talking about? It all comes down to this: Monsters are real. They Oa Peron CRU Uk ea COR eee Te ea eke Wee ee om a Peon a Cee eeu En ale eu Cee og your bed or outside your window, you were right to be scared. They were there, watching, waiting. As we Cee a CEE eee re Oe UC creatures prowled the night. They do. | don't expect you to believe me. Most people who visit his site write me off as a crackpot. That's fine; they couldn't understand if they tried. Their minds’ own defenses and the influences that have been eee une unaed a Rnt eu eC eae eee i mee eke cu ee Den chose ecu ete Ce or) Reese eee eis gt eee ea Cu sm aT eg Cee eS re ae oR a Sue ne O ern Cee etre gos ee ce) corpse, a shambling man-beast, a person you know to be dead, or some kind of spirit clinging to an unwitting person's body. They hide or stroll amongus, unnoticed by everyone. They pick and choose who to kill and who to spare, who to save for later and who to devour now, and we have — or had —no idea Ree cue eee ek ee won't listen. They refuse to believe us. And then, there they go, off to their doom. Let me guess: Your family wonders what's wrong with you; you're “agitated,” “freaking out.” Co- Pee een Cm come Mee ead oe Na eee meat meet atu eh a a Re eet cu Cnc Re Rn a ee OC oe assault, disturbing the peace or on weapons charges. Not even the police believe your stories, what your Reno um Reuse ees Re ae ee? ed+ Internet Browser: Hunter-Net - Home Page >OSQoaan Backward Fe iop FYE Homepage Hisioy Pentng Be Uae eet aR right all along. You're not insane. There are others like you. You've found us. The bad partis, being sane and right means that everything you've witnessed, everything you've feared, is real. Monsters exist. Tue ImBuep There are others of us out here. We've all struggled with the horrifying visions and incomprehensible realities that you face. We've all had to come to grips with what we know, what we've witnessed and what we've become. I created this site in an effort to exorcise my own demons, to find a catharsis, but to also eee eee eee msn eee ecco for answers to what's real in the world — how its that we've lived our entire lives ignorant of the fact that CC eon eR) ete neues Pee Petes Ue ‘Tis website and its lst are intended as means Sali el AA ll for helping the imbued come to terms with them. Naa lala Se oe Cad Not long ago you were perfectly normal. Your to help people with our condition to understand life carried on as it always had. Times could be Se ee tts ace een kes em ee eee Ea Youmay have come here forthe firs time, desper- Pe mn ao Peete gee a te nee ar ne nner tara now. Or you may have come here forthe frst time everyone on this forum has reported events along irenices/ Selena aula these lines: A voice entered your head. It sounded a 4 seals 7 ee like your own, or maybe like the Word of God itself. Serene MCRL SC a taka Seem Co eee na oem cl al alk TN ae al Sa Pee Ree a ey right before your eyes. The message was mysteri- a Se ous but emphatic: “DO NOT SUFFER IT TO LIVE.” included, leas who or where you are, and no one SPN re Che na SoN Seer erie cts AND ALLWILLFIND SALVATION.’ Or, in my case, en ee Sn ey ON a na eC Poe eae es seen een ee eee econ tT) ais eaaegla ean ECTaa Nabe Rese ecu ena hg ene an However, understand this: They could be TB which terible things appeared and happened. Or oie Botti enn ninco. aj pein he gina terre 4 Sr ne Geared Ce ae a ee eee Ee Ree een eo simply lurk, as they do inal other things, and wait Reve for signs of some weakness to prey upon. So, ear Sem ie as va SOM nae ro Ce aera ea Le LA cians iea aa a EL Bee CE eee Li} eM aS ae eee eee uaa Ome ute ku Race#788 9,9 8 8 FRE omens Pring You instinctively knew that this thing was not supposed to exist, that it was evil incarnate and that everyone in its vicinity was in mortal danger. You could not stand idly by. You could not simply gape. You Cel It may have been that you were notalone. Although many people in the area may have been oblivious to what you saw, others responded to it as you did. Apparently, a handful sensed the same thing you did. The crowd scattered at the commotion while you dove recklessly toward a creature you could notidentify, See td Ce cue RL aa a Le re ecu) abilities. Though you never did anything like it before, you could now deliver hammer blows. You could Pee ean eS ee eRe UL its innermost secrets. And you could do these things as easily as you closed your hand, spoke aloud or Caer ‘When the red haze passed, the monster was driven off or destroyed, with no sign left ofits existence. In that moment of realization you probably fled the scene and denied what happened. The truth is, you were “imbued,” chosen. The clarity, strength and passion to see reality for what it truly is was granted or inflicted upon you. Curse or blessing, your life changed forever. Tue HERALDS “must be going insane," you probably thought after hearing voices, having hallucinations and pulling Fe ae Oe ne eo Re ao eeu en eee ieee eter ea cece ae a nae read unknown some kind of familiarity. The few of us who have found each other, whether through word of Ds ee a ere eee mT ce of mass delirium? Collective unconscious lashing outward? God or some kind of deity? Aliens Reenter ne ees ea Cee en a wee Ue ec uae subconscious minds responding to the anxieties of the world or perhaps its end? No one knows. Rerun eae Na ete ade Luu Rua on the Heralds and what they communicate holds that both are connected to our contact with monsters. Messages seem to come to awaken us to the existence of horrific creatures, ones we feel compelled to eee heures ee coe eM ae eee eam ORC me Rm Ra RR cu ae Cee ea ee cI Are these Messengers or Heralds the ones responsible for what we witness, and for our freakish Pe ea kee ected Pe A ec ie o US Ra Dy eel silly writing that word, as if | defy everything sensible that I've ever been taught... or perhaps RUE eee eRe ROS op Manet heme Mie esi rr Nee WECM RUE auc hope of explaining it all away and returning to the sheltered existence you used to lead. But there was eee odHunter-Net - Home Page #7 &8G@ OS 8 @ Backward Forward Resrew Slop Finitl Homepage History Prning Save WMalguut to ilutgeqale Baas Ue CTU CS SEC a CSC s ontelevision, at work, on the subway, in the newspaper and, for some, God save you, in your own homes! UO eee tem eke ne eee wouldn't let you. The creatures were everywhere, despite your best efforts not to see. You had to make ‘decision: Seek professional help, commit suicide, go mad or face what you hoped could not exist. If only ‘someone else could confirm what you were seeing, what you knew. But no one could. They thought you were insane, looked at you askance and, you feared, spread word that you were trouble... that you knew. Before long, trouble probably came to you. The police or doctors wanted to find a place for you, to protect you from yourself, and to make sure you couldn’t harm anyone else. That's when you knew there Sr Se acre eon ea ut ese Neei no salvation. Although the others like you — others who did something that night — might. Ree ed Uae en cue retour ee acc ne Dee eee ee ec Cue hee eee eee En ees uc CCU U a Oe ue eae ee a eee similar experiences. Or you may have searched for answers online and found yourself here. But finding others like you only confirmed that the creatures you saw were real Nooo a CUE eu ee eect een Caregen Ley world suggests that these things are everywhere. Maybe they're born of our own sins. Perhaps we're not at the top of the order as we've always believed — or been led to believe — and these abominations are. Perhaps they're older than humanity itself, some kind of superior race that's always been here. The fact that we've never seen these things before — and that most people still don't— seems to lend credence to the theory that monsters have been around for a very long time. A new threat couldn't be so PRG a ert wee aur en LC aoe Soe de tt aU ue ee cea eee Se ee a alan a nce De eu ne cue ed meee eae eae eed Dee te au ees eu SR Ree keen ti only to find themselves arrested on false charges soon afterward...) Se a ee) entrenched, and they appear to have time on their side. But what are they? Frustratingly, we don’t know that, either. Our best guesses relate back to old stories and folk tales. Creatures that drink blood, people Nee tO Me Seika eee geet Races areca ee eu Cee ed eee Nee een ee ee Uke eA Ee ote etre LCura teers your lif? Does garlic keep them at bay? Can they bear their own reflection? Or are the legends just as DECOR neue kel seed Rea nk aa Eat aa One of the prevailing questions that arises after you come to terms with what you've seen and what Se aan cae ent see ean ee cle> een 0 ' 8 eckward Foward Redraw Slop Fradk! Homepape History Printing PEE eee tem CRU Rn oR UR sk ce Crass Ifyour feelings and ethics are anything like mine, there can be only one purpose for our change. We Ce ea uC deen Ue OS Pre eC ence ten og tent ker ae ue a the street and see figures lurking in the shadows, picking people out like candy behind glass, my soul allows only one response: to fight back. | cannot sit idly by while innocent, unaware people are manipulated and slaughtered. | couldn't stand by the moment I was changed, and | can't do it now. Nor, probably, can you. NOM ee eee a eS Re eee ue ee eRe eeu ane Re eeu et te ea ee truth, andto stalking and perhaps destroying monsters. Of course, you don't have to be on some glorified ee ese atu ue ek pr oor en PCN asa accuse haan a a) Ree ean ar een eo) een eee a creatures’ destruction is the only answer. Others express concern that monsters may be the products of people gone wrong, that killing them damns a soul. They hope (and fear) that some small glimmer of UCAS SUre eee ieee Ue Ren ee eg ea oe Pes ecu ce Ate eek a ere Cae uc But however you approach it, you must do what you believe is right in your heart, or the things we have ea Ma ae Se hg Some hunters grimly believe that facing and dealing with monsters is the be-all and end-all of the imbuing and our existence (I would say they're content with this purpose; none of us could ever be content with our new lives). Yet is that our full extent? ee ener km eC ke Re aCe AU uma cea Ue key account for why we suddenly see the world differently and why we manifest strange abilities. Maybe if ee eUrcie cue ea ne ceca ae CR Mu eae eeu ua Pea eee cet ss kn eon ee TOROS ecg ete f eR Ue The only answer I can accept for now is that we are pawns of greater forces, powers that seek to Pee Meu a Ung ea ALR eu a Peace ete ema Ca aR ue Peete a Ce ea Ce Cae we pursue a greater good. We have been changed, and we dedicate our new selves to serving and protecting humanity, regardless that family and friends don't understand or appreciate it. Maybe it's that simple resolve, the need to make the world better, that makes us candidates for the imbuing, The first words | received from the Messengers were “INHERIT THE EARTH.” I've thought about those words constantly in the few months since my change. They still have no more logical meaning than TO uncon eCk uum te ok em oe= > mea ard Forward Redraw Stop hunters and meet some for myself. We have a purpose, and it revolves around gaining a world of our own, free from monstrous oppression and maybe even from whatever forces taunt us with liberation. For those SO ee NC ee ect cee eae an is the one we know — or thought we knew — and itshould be reclaimed. For those who hope to preserve whatever good they can find among creatures, perhaps that world is the next, in which salvation and Pee EU E neice win ane) Cee ee re ee LN MU ees eget Meh Caney the unknown, | must believe that mankindis capable of extraordinary feats and virtue—take this amazing Cee eee ued ie ee neem encase en ent Cee ede RU ae it ae nee anor cece Nee SU emt ees ate ee eget eee ee Tt Cee ee eee UCL eee ean ag Oe A Run ur oO ee aires cr eng Those are all the words | have. |claim no special insight or wisdom, but | create this site and offerthese Doe ee ee ae er au eee un ted Does USC em en eek ee en God protect. ae] ‘TO JOIN THIS LIST, ENTER A NAME IN THE WINDOW BELOW ANDCLICK SEND. WARNING: DONOTENTER YOUR REALNAMEOR OTHER PERSONAL IDENTIFICATION. THE CONFIDENTIALITY OF INFORMATION ON THIS LIST CANNOT BE GUARANTEED. EES PALO ORI Sot ae ola Om ea aL ARV Ne Teoh ec ated YOUR APPLICATION. AROSTER NUMBER WILL BE ASSIGNED TO YOUR CODE NAME AND USEDON ALL COMMUNICATIONLABELS FROM YOU. FOR YOUR OWN PROTECTION, DO NOT REVEALYOUR REALNAME, ADDRESS, OST ETE MLO He MUTI OSECaan: Storyteller Creator and Contributors: Mark Rein*Hiagen, Andrew Greenberg, Chris MeDonough, Lisa Stevens, Josh Timbrook and Steware Wieck World of Darkness created by Mark Rein# Hagen. Designers: Androw Bates, Phil Brucato, Ken Cliffe, Greg. Fount Hall, Jess Heinig, Michael B. Lee, Richard Thomas, Mike Tinney and Stewart Wieck Authors: Bruce Baugh, E. Jonathan Bennett, Carl Bowen, Ken Cliffe, Greg Fountain, Geoffrey Grabowski, Jess Heinig, Ed Hall, Robert Scott Martin, Angel McCoy, Jim Moore, Wayne Peacock, Greg Stolze, Richard Stratton and Stewart Wieck, with thanks to Vampire: The Masquerade contributors Developers: Ken Cliffe, Ed Hall and Stewart Wieck Buitor: Fd Hall Art Director: Richaed Thomas Layout and Typesetting: Brian Glass Interior Art: Mitch Byrd, Joe Corroney, Tommy Lee Edwards, Steve Elis, Richard Kane Ferguson, Chase “Post-It Notes” Jones, Brian LeBlanc, Frank Malec, Steve Prescott and Ron Spencer Endpapers Design: Aaron Voss Front and Back Cover Design: Brian Glass Many thanks to Monique Huiet, who helped locate the Innocent within, t) 1 Pa Noxtit nbn e SUITE 128 CuunasTOn, GA 30021 US GAME STUDIO © 1999 White Wolf Publishing, Inc. All rights re- served. Reproduction without the written permission of the publisher is expressly forbidden, except for the pur- poses of reviews, andor blank charactershest, which may be reproduced for personal use only. White Wolf, Vampire the Masquerade, Mage the Ascension and World of Dark ness are tegistered trademarks of White Wolf Publishing, Inc. Allrights reserved. Werewolf the Apocalypse, Wraith ‘st Andrew Bates, Bruce Baugh, Kraig Blackwelder, Ron Bloomfield, Carl Bowen, Deird’Re M Brooks, Clayton Callihoo, Alex W. Caton, Micah Chan dler, Kwei-Cee Chu, Ken Cliffe, James V. Coleman, Scott Coucher, Jason Cross, Audrey Deutschmann, Carrie Easley, Mike Elsner, Jim Fillmore, Greg Fountain, Alyson Gaul, Jody Gerst, Brian Goodson, Chris Haddad, Jonathan Hanna, Laura Heilman, Jess Heinig, Chris Hemphill, Sean Holland, Tricia Hopkins, Susanne Johnson, Joe "Fader" Jones, Scott “BIZKeT" Jones, Matthew Kaufman, Ellen P. Kiley, James Kiley, Jason Langlois, Michael Lee, Janet Lee, Stacey Lewis, Chris Loeffler, Paul Marshall, Chris McDonough, Sarah Mellvaine, Brooks Miller, Josh Moore, Barbara North Charlsie Patterson, Wayne Peacock, Ben Rodda, Karen Sarao, Darwyn Siplin, Richard Stratton, David Temple, Mike Tinney, Jason’ Walsh, Dave Weinstein, Kathy Weinstein, Andrew Woodworth, Peter Woodworth and Fred “Son of Joe” Yelk Drscuaner Hunter: The Reckoning is a game. Like board games, you play it around a table with friends. The difference here is there is no board, and there may not even be any pieces. However, it’s still a game. Iris not real life. Monsters are the products of our imagina tions. They are not real, You are not a monster hunter. It’s that simple. If you can’t distinguish reality from fantasy, put this book down and walk away. For every ‘one else, have fun. the Oblivion, Changeling the Dreaming, Mind’s Eye The- atre, Hunter the Reckoning, Hunter Storytellers Companion and Year of the Reckoning are trademarks of White Wolf Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. All characters, names, places and text herein ate copyrighted by White Wolf Publishing, Ine. The mention of or reference to any company ot product in these pages is nota challenge to the trademark. ‘or copyright concerned. This book uses che supernatural for settings, charac- ters and themes. All mystical and supernacural elements ff are fiction and intended for entertainment purposes only. Reader discretion is advised Fora free White Wolfcatalog call 1-800-454-WOLF, ‘Check out White Wolf online at |ep:/fwww.white-wolf.com; alt-games.whitewolfand rec.gamesfep.storyteller PRINTED IN CANADA. mal = ea a y= a. iwTT 1h LARA wud “SE 9 ooh SE I es EE TRBLEOF CONTENTS PROLOGUE i INTRODUCTION i0 CHAPYERL:THEHERE AND NOW (1 HEHUNY ERCONDIY 10K) 4 CHAPTER 2AWORLDOF DARKNESS (SETTING) 48 CHAPYER3:Y HEHUNYER S CREED (CHARACTERT YPES) 60 CHAPTER4:IHAYE HEARD Y HENESSAGE (CREATIONS TRAITS) 728 1 A cunprsnscruenumren’sence powers) i : CHAPTERG:LAWSOF Y HEHUNT (RULES) CHAPYERT:TOOLSOF Y HEHUNT (SYSTEMS) CHAPTERS: THE TRUTH(STORYTELLING) CHAPY ERS: THEENEMY (ANY AGONIST S) APPENDICES EPILOGUE en eee een oe fa is .Internet Browser: Hunter-Net - Home Page facinard Forward Redraw eaeaecs om i Homepage Hiloy Printing Save iM ste: [inttp: aww. tuner oat oxg/Rona/ohst Wea t : ros Valguuioe i Email Program ——— SSS Subject [Griping To: [hunter.list(@hunter-net.org 2 Fron 0090 Be es Copied To: The slope I'm climbing is slippery as an iceberg. And I guess see just as little oft, too. T mean, is there an end? When I was a rookie cop, I thought I was doing good when I put ascare in kids who bought drugs. Concentrate on them and society will straighten itself out, are around, there'll always be stupid-ass kids who want to put that shit in their bodi sd up and started nabbing dealers. But dealers are adime a dozen. So I bust ass to make detective to make a teal difference. I start catching ‘guys in suits who don’t carry guns, but who have East German rejects who do, After years on that beat, a divorce, a kid who self-destructed and an addiction of my own, I'm back on my feet and about to lock up one of the worst:a guy named Pendergrass. He drove that kid over the edge, drove me over as a result, and probably fucked me a hundred other ways, too. So I'm standing there at his front door, a battalion of cops behind me, showing the warrant to the butler. That's when the bottom suddenly falls out of the ocean and I get to see the whole freaking iceberg. I guess the Messengers thought it would be a cute time to show me the whole truth, Pendergrass comes down the stairs — and he’s already dead!will [destroy kingdoms; — Jeremiah 51:20 Monsters \Nightmarish abominations of man and nature hell-bent con murder and destruction. The malignant offpring of over: active imaginations given form to haunt the night. Human fearsandpassions made manifesto further the very terror that birthed them. The things that go bump in the night. Humanity’s fear of the unknown has inspired us to create all manner of abominations and obscenities. Whether it'sadark corner, a deranged mind or the next world, human imagination has aspired to fill he void in an effort to make sense of our existence and all its mysteries. Although science seeks to answer our questionsand make the world sensible — tocexplain that monsters do not exist — the human imagina- tion still rakes usback to times past, when the dark placesand other worlds were frightening. Persistent fear of monsters, even in this “enlightened” age, raises the question: Is belief in creatures integral to the hhuman psyche? That's what science claims; “monsters” are the results of psychoses, subconscious mind. Why else could we fear che dark places when reason and rationality have illuminated so much? Monsters aren’t real. Orare they? Imagine a world in which creatures of the night have lurked in the shadows from the very beginning. sexual deviancy, products of the — Thou art my battle ax and weapons of war: for ‘with chee wil breakin pieces the nations, and with thee Feeding on human fears and bodies. Playing with us like toys in ageless, demented power struggles. Deciding human fate and keeping us under their collective thumb or trapped in a talon-grip. Subjecting us to cheir unknowable will for their own obscene amusement. Now stop imagining, because it’s true. That's our world, ‘That’sus. Monsters cast theit shadow over our lives and chill cour very souls. We are subjected to tertor, oppression and corruption, but we never see whae’s eal. We never know the truth, At least... most don't ‘Youstandapart from the helpless masses. You've had the scales ripped from your eyes. You see the creatures working their manipulations. You recognize the fetid putrescence ‘beneath their innocuous masks, You peer into the deepest shadows and witness their lurid dance. You see everything. You know the ruth ‘And somehow, by some unseen hand, you have been sgranced the power to stop them. You have the clarity and strength to emancipate humanity, to wrest control from the supernatural. You have the power to finally, once and for all, free the world You are a hunter. 2 Se eg Nes ee # |Sromreume The book youhold isthe core rulebook for Hunte Reckoning, a storytelling game from White Wolf Publish- ing. With the rules in this book, you and your friends can assume the roles of monster hunters and tell stories about your characters’ triumphs, failures, dark deeds and glimmers of hope. In a storytelling game, players create characters using the rules in this book, then take those characters through dramas and adventures called (appropriately enough) sto rics, Stories are told through a combination of the wishes of the players and the disectives of the Storyteller (see below). Ie a lot of ways, storytelling resembles games such as How to Host a Minder. Each player rakes the role of a character —in thiscase, person who hunts monsters —and engages in a form of improvisational theater by saying what the hunter would say and describing what the hunter would dlo. Most ofthis process isfre form — players can have theit characters say or do whatever they like, so long as the dialogue of actions are consistent with a characte’ person ality and abilities. However, the success of certain actions is best determined through the use of dice and the rules pre~ sented in this book Whenever rules and story conflict, story wins. Use the rulesonly as much— or preferably as litle —as youneed to tell ehsilling tales of tertor, action and triumph. Puavars ao Srorrr eis: Hunter is best played with a group, oF troupe, of two to sixpartcipants. Most ofthese people are players. Theycreate hhunter characters — imaginary protagonists similar to ones found in novels, cinema and comics. In each troupe, how- ever, one person must take the role of the Storyteller. The Storyteller does not create one primary character for herself Rather, she acts 2s a combination of director, moderator, narrator and referee. By creating plots and conflicts from het imagination the Storytellerinventsthe drama through which the players ditect their characters. The Storyteller alo takes the roles of supporting cast — both ales with whom the characters interact and antagonists against whom the char- acters struggle. The Storyteller invents the salient details of the story’s setting — the bars, nightclubs, businesses and other institutions the characters frequent. The players de- cide how their characters react tothe situations in the game, Inut it is the Storyteller (with the help of the rules) who dleckles whether che characters actually succeed in theie endeavors and, ifs0, how well. Uli the final authority on the events that take place inthe game. Example: Ed, Pauline, Kathy and Fred have gathered to play Hunter. Ed, Pauline and Kathy are players: Ed plays Pete Gorzk, aan Avenger (a hieter intent on eradicating monsters); Pauline plays Kara Reed, a Visionary (a hunter who seeks to understand ‘monster! very nature); and Kathy plays Emil Patel, a Martyr (a uncer who protects humans from monsters through personal sacrifice). Fred isthe Storyteller. He decrees that the characters ately, che Storyteller is Eh nn ey ee ee a: have been ambushed by pawns of the enemy, apparently by creatures with a purpose beyond simple murder. The characters ‘awake to find themselves ted up onthe floor of a dank hasement or ‘warehouse. Before them looms their apparent captor, the blood- sucker whom they've been stalking for several nights ‘Fred (deseribing the scene): Youreyesflutter open and you immediately wish you could resume your blissful slum- ber. Pain stabs through your head and body. You struggle to make sense of what's going on. Your last memories are of trailing your quarry ftom a nightclub and along a deserted street. You had thought this might be an opportunity to strike punks swarmed outof nowhere and atacked the three of you. You fought back, but your assailants’ fearsome strength quickly proved more than human, and you were subdued. when the tables sucdenly turned on you. A gang of Now you're here, bound and prone on a cold, concrete floor, blood congealing and bruises forming where baseball bats and tire irons were used on you in all the wrong ways. You should have known it was trap; here’sthe very creature you planned to take out, leering over your bodies, Your efforts to shadow him may have failed — afterall, here you are — but they have clearly kept the bastard from feeding His skin is pallid, almost bone-white, without the rosy lush of others blood’ His dark, curly, contrasting hair doesn't warm his complexion, and neither does this gloomy place. « Fred (again, now speaking as the monster): “Well, ‘well, so we're all here. I'm so pleased you could finally meet the host after crashing the party all chis time. Normally, I would have killed you when I noticed you nights ago. But why bother? There are so many fish inthe sea, and you were just small fry —orsol thought. Ir wasn’t till saw youagain. and again... chat [knew something was up. You've learned ‘my secret. You know what Iam. Impressive “Of course, now I have to kill you. You know too much, Butbefore yougo, want to know ‘how’: How did you find me ‘out? And how were you able to keep up?” The players may now decide what to do: « Kathy (speaking as Emil Patel): "Oh, icwasrdifficult nce we knew what you were. Go among the soulless masses and their king shows himself eventually.” + Ed (whisperingasPete):“Keep him talking. Lhave an idea.” ‘ Pauline (speakingas Kara): "Yeah, youweren'tsohard toroot out. actually walked up ro you face to face weeks ago atacluband tried to call you out. You didn't even notice me, Twas just another bag of blood. But [knew what you were.” *# Fred (playing the bloodsucker’s reaction): The creature's lip curls back in a snarl to reveal the long canines of a predator —a two-legged one. ‘© Ed (describing Pete's action): I plan to cut free using (Cleave (an amazing hunter power) and try to take the thing by suprise: “Hey asshole, have you ever seen one of us do this?” ‘What happens next is decided by the actions of the players and the decisions ofthe Storyteller. As you can see, =HEY each player is the arbiter of his orherown character'sactions, and words. Ultimately, though, it is Fred, the Storyteller, king as the beast, who hho determines whether 1cters’ actions, if any, succeed or fail Waarls VisPince? ‘The world of Hunter: The Reckoning is not our own, seen through a glass darkly. Evilis palpable and ubiquitous in this world; the end is upon us, and the whole planet teeters (on a razor's edge of tension. It is a world of darknes Superfcially, the World of Darkness is like the “real” world we all inhabit. The same bands are popular, violence plagues the inner city, graft and corruption infest govern- ‘ments, and society looks to cities for its culture, The World of, Darkness has a Statue of Liberty, an Eiffel Tower and a McDonalds on every comer. More edegenerate. Its ecosys ich night. And there, monsters exis. Many of he differences berween out world and the World cient and inscrutable creatures, ghosts,zombies, bloodthirsty creatures skinchangers, shend, things that toy with humanieyasa cat does with trapped mouse. Fromthe witches and things that we cannot com iS, NSS AON pS RUGT \ TE Ne, Ce , Sy ¥ | f yo r shadows these creatures have ruled the night and, forall time, hidden from mankind’s sight and knowledge. Thus, virtually no one is aware of the torment to which we are subjected to us, hardship is simply a fact of life, not the product of super- natural beings’ machinations. That's what hunters believed, too, before they awoken to the truth. Once, your life was normal, at le the standards you understood. You might have been mari hhad kids, a tedious job. You struggled with the day today ike everyone else, doing what you had to do to get by. Then, without warning, someone or something opened your eyes. One minute, you were waiting for a train. The next reality as you knew it collapsed all around you. A voice like your own — bur nor your own — might have announ to you, “THE SHADOWS LIVE.” A destination sign have changed from "Making all regular stops” to “YOU MUST MAKE THEM STOP.” The smell ofa vendor roast ing peanuts might have transmuted into the stench of rotted flesh, blown on the stagnant tunnel wind. Tewasonly then that you recognized the things lurking in the comers ofthe station, People, Burnot human. Their skin was decayed. Ichor oozed from wounds on theit bods. Suddenly, it was clear that they stalked this place, awaiting lone travelers — victims. Abominations preyed upon inno: cent people! There was nothing todo but act. For the love of God, you had to stop them! Nothing could ever be the same after that night. Now youcan see the corrupt touch of monstrosities everywhere — at work, on the street, on the news, ia church, in bigbusinessin politics! The world you thought you knew was trick, an illusion. Humans aren’t in charge or at the top of the food chain, Unforgivable creatures are in control and humanity is their plaything, Welcome to the World of Darkness. Gorwe-Purw SCoticPnk pera the bes way wo dserbe he A er ca teva dar te ccaused by the juxtaposition of ethnicities, social classes and subcultures makes the world a vibrant, albeit dangerous, place. All these aspects are ones familiar to normal people of the world. They've deale with them all cheir lives. I's the existence of monsters and their part in the condition of things that is unknown — until now. “Gothic” describes the ambiance of the World of Datk- ress. Burrressed buildings loom overhead, bedecked with Classical columnsand leering gargoyles. Residents are dwarfed : by the sheer scale of architecture, lose amid spires that seem to rope roward Heaven in an effort to escape the physical world, ‘The ranks of the religious swell as mortals flock to any banner thac offers them a hope of something better in the hereafter. Cialts flourish in the underground, promising power and re: demption. The institutions that control society are even more staid and conservative than they are in our world, Many in power prefer the evils of the world they know to the chaos engendered by change. It isa divisive world of have and have- not, rich and poor, excess and squalor. “Punk” is the lifestyle chat many denizens of the World ‘of Darkness adopt. In order to give their lives meaning, they . rebel, dashing themselves against the crags of power. Gangs SBM ov che streets and organized crime breeds in the under- ‘world, all in reaction co the pointlessness of living “by the book.” Mune is louder, faster, more violent, o i's hyproti- cally monotonous,and supported by masses who find salvation imits escape. Speech is conser, fashion isholder, art is more shocking, and technology brings it all to everyone at the click of a button. The world is more coreupt, its people are spiritually bankrupt and escapism often replaces hope. Asifthese conditions werent fearful enough, the fort nate — or cursed — among humanity now understand the truth oftheir world: chat monsters exist and contro every thing. These few people respond to the horror in their own ome seck salvation for mankind and its oppressor, as the revelations with which they're confronted surely mark the impending End. Others lash out inadesperate effort to reclaim a world they never had. Sil cthers search for safe places where humanity might stare fgain to forge a world ofits own making, for these tortured souls understand that the decay and decline all around them may not be their fault afterall, but an unjust punishment imposed by shadow players Gothic-Punk isa mood and setting conveyed during the course of the game. The greatest share of creating this ambiance falls upon the Storyteller, but players should con- sider their characters’ stake init aswell. The ambiance isalso a matter of taste. Some troupes prefer more Gothic than Punk, whereas others may want equal amounts of both ways, by their own means. 7 tae past ge Bia elements, or little of either. In the end, it's your gameand you are free 10 make of it what you will. Simply beatin mind that experiencing the world isa shared endeavor, and everything the players and Storyteller do helps make that world more believable. Actions, settings, characters and descriptions all convey the Gothic-Punk aesthetic. Cres Hunters exit all over the world, in every country, whether the isolated or unaware among the imbued know i or not. Yet a preponderance of them live and carry out their self-chosen missions in cities. The reasons are fairly cleat, given a few assumptions. Hu- ‘man populations are most concentrated in urban. centers, father than in che country or the wilds, where people are few and far between. Monsters feed on and control the masses, so it makes sense chat monsters would dell in cities, too, whether hiding in plain sight amid che throng or hiding in the dark places where no one dares go. Although cities are assumed to be monsters’ dens, there's some protection in conducting the hunt in these places. Hunters find saery in numbers, not only among other chosen, but among the populace as a ‘whole, Hunters who are imbued together or who find ceach other in cities can share their abilities, pool heir resources, watch one another's backs. They form teams that work together and play the same urban fields against the unknown, Meanwhile, monsters have preyed upon humanity for ages and, ifthe stories are true, some may be long-lived to say the least. Surely, cone mortal starts to look like every other to these beings, much as cattle are indistinguishable at the slaughterhouse. Thus, hunters find anonymity among the urban defenseless, and may strike by surprise then disappear quickly ‘All of which is not to say that no hunters venture ‘outside cities into rural territory. Some, such as indi viduals who can no longer bear the truth of the world ‘or who seek safety for themselves and their families, go abroad. However, chere is really no safety to be found anywhere. Monsters exist in the country and wilds, too, and they may be more dangerous than any city dwellinghorror. These creatureshave learned tosurvive in nature, where predator and prey isthe dichotomy of life. A hunter in the wilds may still have his own. powersand skills, but his opponent sa twisted force of nature. In such a seting a huncer has no one to turn to but himself. If such an isolated lifestyle ean be sur- vived, it quickly devolves to a furtive existence of hiding, foraging and hiding again, like @ scavenging animal avoiding beasts of prey. DeaWear IsaHonran? Storytellingand roleplaying games may feature manykinds ‘ofprotagonists. Insome games, playersassume the roles fheroes inafantasy setting orsuperheroessaving the workdfrom villains? depredations In Hunter, appropriately enough, players assume the personas of monster hunters — brave, determined people who confront the supernatural — and guide these characters through a world vitally identical to our own. Hunters don't start out that way. They aren't born and raised with the awareness of monster or the capacity to fight them. They begin asnormal people who are one day conftonted with how the world really is; they're exposed to the creatures that lurkin the shadows. Most people panic and run from such beings, or from the very idea that such things exist (why does science tell us th Would-be hunters are diferent from the majority in that they ¢ are no such things as monsters again’). ‘Tre Sem oF re Gane ‘Hunter: The Reckoning isone inaseries of gamesset in the World of Darkness. Itspredecessors are in fact about the monsterswhom hunters stalk. Games including Vam- pire: The Masquerade, Werewolf: The Apocalypse and ‘Mage: The Ascension allow you to play supernatural ‘creatures in a modem age, fighting amongst themselves and each other, and controlling the mass of humanity. Obviously, Hunter isthe ultimate response tothase games, the chance to fight back against the monsters. If Hunter is your first foray into the Storyteller series, you're in luck. You approach the game unaware of the creatures who stalk the World of Darkness, their cultures, their powers or their ways. You are the equivalent of your ‘hunter character: wide-eyed and uninitiated. Your exper ‘encewith Hunter asagame iscomparable to your character's experience with existence as a hunter. Enjoy the experi- ence and try to maintain your distance from the other Storyteller games. You have a unique take on Hunter that few others in your troupe are likely to possess. If you've played other games set in the World of Darkness, Hunter demands something of a new ap- proach. Your imbued character doesn’t know anything about the real world into which he is suddenly thrust. Meanwhile, you could know a great deal. In the spitit of the game, it’s your responsibility to forget everything you ‘know, orat least co try to ignore it for each game session. Ifyou don’t put your knowledge outof mind, Hunter really isn’t any fun. The charm of the game isthe fear and wonder of the unknown. Think back to your first roleplaying experiences, the curiosity and awe that came with exploring fantastic otherworlds. Well, here's your opportunity to rekindle that experience with the World of Darkness. You just have to be willing to do it. Other- wise, if you blurt out information your character could es Se SS @ Sy 1 it takes to stand and face the unknown, and ‘even have the bravery or temerity to act against it possess whate! Te seems that the domg is what in fact gives hunters fll insight into reality, into how the world is not our own Whereas those people who run from or tum a blind eye to the truth will notacceptitandcannotknowit, hunters, bystaying, seeing and even fighting back, are exposed to the gamut of reality. They learn we are not alone, yet ironically, hunters themselves are alone with their knowledge. Instinetual fear of the truth keeps the masses mired in ignorance. The rest of Jhumanity refuses to believe thatthe supernatural could exist, let alone take physical form, so hunters must keep theit horrible awareness to themselves and seek to protect people from their own closed minds. Thus, hunters band together in small groups through which they can uncover, stalk pethaps even destroy the enemy — or die trying. not know, or pursue leads that your hunter could not be Aware of, you ruin the story for everyone involved. So, what's the most important rule you need to know? That you are certam of nothing. Ifyou can’t remem ber chat, don't be surprised if your Storyteller plays tricks fon you and your character, to turn your knowledge against you and undo everything you take for granted about the World of Darknes. Hunter also lends itself to another kind of gamer: ‘You might have never played a Storyteller game before because all that angsty-goth oF save-natute crap just tured you off. Well, here's an opportunity to do some thingabout it. Hunters are normal people suidenly made aware of creatures and all their melodrama, and it's hunters! ob to strike back! For the walking.-dead poseur andthe bleeding heart, teee-huguing shambling rug here isnow a shotgun blast and impressive powers with which to back it up. Here's your chance ro attack the other Storytellers games in theie very own setting. Here's your chance to kick some as! ‘Waar Tasty Hunter: The Reckoning isnot Hunters Hunted, The Inquisi (not, in other words a revision of previous game supple ments ftom White Wolf). This book is about a new breed Of people who are hums, but who rise above humanicy and act in ts name. This game is not about government agencies, people who operate with only guns and rech- nology, ot humans with insight into and familiarity with the tpernatural. Hunter: The Reckoning s the cosmo- logical answer to monsters'eternal crimes and abuses, a response that sounds on the last of the Final Nights and tn the brink of Apocalypse I's chance for humanity as, a whole to rise up and claim a world for itself.Treheume Hunters call their moment of realization the imbuing. Alehough hunters operate alone or in isolated groups, their ‘efforts tofind each other andspread the word make terms like the imbuing” common parlance, and prove that being chosen” is not an isolated experience, Accounts of the imbuing vary wildly, but certain ele- ments appear to occur forall hunters, regardless of age, sex, race or nationality. Hunters hear voices, see distorted mes: sages on billboards or in newspapers, or perceive odd sounds, smells or visions. Regardless of its form, the experience always offers a warning of nearby danger: a booming * DOES NOT LIVE," a strect sign that momentarily reads “RUN NOW,” a sudden, hallucinatory image of people strewn about a street as Death walks among them. No source seems to be apparent for these signs and portents, but their subject soon becomes clear. With eyes newly opened, the awakened hunter witnesses the most grotesque obscenity he has ever encountered —a thing not meant to exist, a walking affront co life it ‘monstrosity. In that moment of clarity, a veneer erected to hhide the real world fades forever. The secret is laid bare. ‘The truth is revealed. There it stands in all its unholy glory: evil personified and presented for hideous edification. Monsters exist ‘an abhorrent And that's only the beginning, ‘Tre Messencrs ‘Among the hunters who seek out each other, whether for safety in numbers or simply for solace in a terrifying reality, the same questions are asked over and over: Why? Why me? Why now? Who has done this to me? Theories abound about why people are chosen. The end of the world is coming, Judgment Day is here. Monsters’ ongoing evil has fi humanity and revealed the truth — or are responsible for monsters on Earth. Uleimately, no one knows for sure why people are suddenly awoken, However, the apparent messages or hallucinations suf- fered at the moment of imbuing lead many to believe that someone or something bestows this blessing or inflicts this curse. How else could intelligible voices, legible messages and waking dreams happen to disparate people, yet be so similar forall? For lack of a better theory, the Other emerges as the prevailing answer for now. In burgeoning hunter circles — groups that are imbued together, hunters who meet through word of mouth, through signs left for each other or through covert Internet communication — these beings are lab Messengers” or “Heralds.” What their intended message is ot for whom they convey it, if anyone, is unknown. ally received its karmic response. Aliens have touched Certainly, the mystery of the Messengers makes them just as frightening as the monsters to which hunters are exposed. Yet, the imbued take comfort in the knowledge that EE ne eee ge fas: A they are still human (or so they believe), that they are not the walking corruption that so clearly oppresses mankind. For most hunters, that distinetion is enough. Questioning further only makes an already harsh world inhospitable and existence itself intolerable, Ences . “Thus, hunters are exposed to reality and the monsters that inhabie it. The chosen are forced to recognize the depravity of creatures that are truly in control, But what evidence isthere chat the imbued have any responsibility for that knowledge? Why does that knowledge demand action? For most of the imbued, the answer is simple: At the moment of rebirth, they ar. powers. Atthe instant theyare witness toliving nightmares, the chosen are empowered with the means o respond tothe creatures before them. These amazing abilities seem to be ‘numerous and varied. Some allow a person to strike down a creature, Others create chaos under cover of which the imbued may act. Some powers grant extraordinary percep- tion, theability tosee and recognize monsters wherever they hide. Sull ochers allow the imbued to heal themselves and others miraculously Why else would the imbued be granted these gifts than. to react to the abominations revealed before them? Evil exists, The imbued have the power to stop it. That's what makes them hunters. As many hunters observe, "What else is there to know YoeHonr ‘Awareness of monsters and heinous corruption doesn’t stop with the moment of the imbuing. A person's life is changed foreverafter the moment her eyes are opened. She sees creatures everywhere. Their influence touches and taints everything. The reason for all the suffering and seife in the world becomes clea. Friends’ loss, families’ turmoil, society's ills — they all trace back to monsters and theit plots. How long can one witness these atrocities — deaths, disappearances, abuses, invasions — before lashing out against them? Most of the chosen cannot remain quiet. Theystrive to protect loved ones, friends, neighborhoods and cities from the creatures that would control and destroy all these things. ‘The result isthe hunt: the ongoing pursuit of creatures to stop them, save them, understand them, outwit them or simply destoy therm. granted strange abilities and ‘All hunters undertake their own missions against the nown. They have their own reasons for stalking, pre serving or killing. Ultimately, however, their objectives are the same, whether they realize it or not. The cautious hunter who devotes his life co protecting his family, and the daring hunter who travels wherever he must to locate and destroy both want the same thing: to start again, to make a new place where people can be safe, to inherie the world thar they once believed their own. Whether such a —oi Ge ace ee Oy eee ge eee a goal can ever be achieved is unknown. Many imbued donot ‘even consider the direction of the hunt long enough to perceive its destination; they simply survive day to day, right to night. For others, claiming the world is the only goal of the hunt —and it must be achieved. Huxrars' Foes monsters everywhere, Hunters enemis ae, collectively, an enigma, Before, their existence was nothing but folklore and fairy tales. Now, all the old stories are proved that’s make-believe. People’s lives, dreams and fates have never been their own, but are, and always have been, the Although they are roused to the truth, the chosen are still very much in the dark. They have a glimmer of wha’s really out there, but they still can’t see far. Whatever they don’t know they're forced to guess. Investigation and ex- trapolation are the order of the day — and night. creatures exist and prey upon humanity, others could be out there that Ihave yet to be encountered. After all, who or what created the ones already faced? Left with ominous uncertainties and glaring ignorance, hunters turn to whatever sources they can for information on the enemy. Suddenly, old legends, folk stories and fairy tales are fonts of wisdom. Can the walking dead show their faces in daylight? Are shapechangers mortally afraid of silver? Is. the Church —or another religious institution —any protec- tion, ois it as corrupt as the rest of the world? Is a restless spirit forced to haunt only one place? There are limitless questions, and hunters don’t know any answers for sure. They don't even know whether differ- cent monsters exist or if they're all the same kind, each with different face. Are the old stories true? Can they be tured to, trusted? Are they fiction or fact? Hunters lives hangin the balance hon crm Being imbued and undertaking the hunt make a person an outsider among normal, unaware people. You know and Ihave seen things that most cannot or will not imagine. Your previous day-to-day life seems meaningless now; monsters are real and must be dealt with. Yet, that very mundane, oblivious existence is exactly what your friends, family and coworkers stil live, They can't understand the pressures and fears that you face. They don’t understand why you can’t make datesand d oranniversaries, or even why you can't manage to tum up for ‘work at all. Most hunters’ old lives fall apart «lines, why you can't remember promises So, why not preach from the mound, tll everyone the truth and pen alleyes to the creatures that plague the world? Because other people can't understand you: They can't see es Se SS @, Sy what you can. Moruten secrecy, control and manipulation pass the fll scope of reality. Unles the common person i Shaken by some unsen hand, as you were, she can neve sti from her sume. “Thu, relations with family, fiends and even perfect sernger can never be the sae for hunters, Neemol fll i ‘cesmay grow distant, disturbed, confused and even threater Lovers may leave you, bosses may fire you, police may pursue be left in the dark. Atcempts to reveal the truth only baffle don’t understand why you need to empry the family bank lashed out at that woman in Accounting, the one chummy with thepresident. The defenseless don'c understand youand may even seek to have you committed or arrested. And there's another, moreinsidious danger to preaching to the masses, Monsters are everywhere, they have feelers and sensors a all levels of society, government and religion. Where monsters themselves cannot tread, they manipulate pawns who act as their eyes and ears — normal people in Teague with evil, people whom you may not recognize as the enemy. The police could be under the sway of the walking dead. Politicians may be possessed by spirits. Television stations may broadcast the prepared statements of mind controlling demons. Ifyou make one peep about monsters, thei existence or theirinfluence, che creatures might hear. Now youranonym- ity is gone, and they know you. They realize that youcan see | them. You'rea threat that must besilenced, and any confton tation will beon theie terms, not yours. By trying to warn the populace, you may be signing your own death warrant. And though youmay be able ro dodge the eneraes lethal reprisal, what about your family of loved ones? So, it might seem that hunters are absolutely alone against their foes. Notso. They have each other. The imbued can turn toone another for comfort, stability, foundation and sympathy. Hunters know what their fellows have witnessed and gone through, what they perceive and cando. The result, typically is small circles of hunters — often ones imbued at the same horrifying scene — who work together. Personality and motivational differences may threaten to bre apart, ("Should all monsters be destroyed, or were some once human and worthy of saving?”) Bu, regardless of clashes, Ihunters recognize that they need cach other to survive, wherher chat need unites a handful of imbued ina neighbor- hood or hunters scattered across the world who eek out each other through the Internet, them a nee SO ay ge note Deee “ET Hurren Cove ‘The imbuing holds myriad mysteries, all of ia page ae hang, Pte ooo frogs laynbol ats paced hen pon derstood by hunters, and can be written and read AIR ites ae ee al your, dere never hhaving put them to paper or seen them before. Many hunters call this language “the Word.” Bick of eae pb sera mo bar sage, as pictograms do. One icon could indicate that building isa safe haven in which to hide. Another could war that a bloodsucker con- trols the area. Or one could symbolize that a neighborhood is urider the protection of one or more hunters, and that anyone who can read the message should seek them out. So far, no formal documentation or catalog en made ofthese images, yethunters know hasb them implicitly and can impart a writtet sage with one, orasmanyasthree, when need The symbols appeer most-eommonly as graffiti, usually as dicections, warnings or sig- nals ro fellow hunters. Most hunters agres they first use these images early on in theirself- understandingand missions, in an effort tofind ‘others of their kind. However, the icons re- ‘main invaluable for identifying dangerous turf and recognizing the hunting grounds of known. ‘monsters and the chosen, hat So far, the enemy does not seem to under- stand or even perceive the significance of these symbols. Nor do human pawns or authorities But should the code ever be compromised, hunters are sure to be made sorely vulnerable. Hunter code is explained fully on p. 282. Lexicon Hunters know and understand very litle about themselves, theie new world and their role in it, about the reasons they are awoken and empowered, or about the creatures they ifying reality in clearly exist, and here are shocking face. And yet, here is at which thy powers that they can obviously bring to bear. So, how to come to terms with these apparent facts, when so many questions go unanswered? Hunters ate forced to theorize about their ex- to dispute, to guess. The istence, to discu result of such dialogue, at least among the im- that try to give meaning to the vast unknown. 2S en eee en ee———— > Ad Wate Poy een OEE pee a Pr These names and labelshave been coinedon the clandestine hunter-net e-mail list to facilitate communication, so that otherhunterscan understand what isdiscussed—amonster, ‘power, oF the forces thar create hunters — when so many different names or descriptors can be (ancl are) applied Imbued who remain in isolation or who fail tolearn that they are not alone do not know these terms; they probably have theirown. Only introduction into any kind of fledgling hunter society imparts this terminology, and various hunter groups certainly use a variety of other words. Avenger: A hunter perceived to advocate, above all cls, the extermination of the supernatural (see creed). baits A hunter who uses himself asa lure to provoke confrontations with monsters burden, the: Humanity; particularly people who would rather preserve society'sevils than risk change for something better. bystander: A person present at an imbuing who per- ceives the supernatural but lacks the will to act against it Like hunters, these people recall seeing monsters thereafter, but they lack edges or powers of their own, creed: Rudimentary hunter groups theorize that the imbued have certain philosophies and approaches to the hhune that might be codified, each as a separate creed, chosen, thes A term some hunters apply to themselves in regard to the Heralds (see imbued). Defender: A hunter who seems to strive to protect certain people, places or things as much as he is driven t0 eliminate monsters (see ereed). defenseless, the: Normal humans who have no idea of the truth about the world or monsters. A similar, less ‘complimentary term is “the blind.” ‘edge: Often plural any of the fantastic and mysterious powers ofthe imbued. Also called “the stuf” and “juice.” gawker: Often plural; a normal person who witnesses Ihunters edges or crearures’ supernatural effects in use, yet snot comprehend them. gone fishing: A label applied to hunters who abandon. the city in hopes of finding peace in the wildemess or countryside and away from monsters Heralds: A name assigned to mysterious and presum- ably plural beings believed to have empowered hunters through the imbuing (see Messengers). In this ease, the being or beings are usually considered the agent ofa greater power, often God. hunt, the: Hunter lfesyle in a nutshell che pursuit, trailing, studying and, ultimately, confronting ofsupernatue ral creatures and the unknown. Also calle imbued, the: Hunters. People made to recognize the world the way it really is, and the monsters that inhabit it. Such people receive inscrutable powers, presumably with which to oppose monsters. Innocent: A member of a loose group of hunters be- lieved to have an open-minded, unjaded approach to the mission (see crced). Judges A hunter believed to have a discerning sense for how tocarryout the mission and toachieve the greatest good, at least by his own standards (see reed) lurker: A uncer who frequents the Internet and re- searches the supernatural, butavoidsgettingdireetly involved in the hunt. Also called a “wannabe” or “bystander” in a derogatory manner. Martyr: A hunter — part of a seemingly like-minded ‘group — who is willing to offer herself up in the name ofthe ceause (see creed). Messengers: A title assigned to forces believed to be responsible for hunters imbuing. Hunters of various cultures and backgrounds have different takes on who or what the Messengersare, but they are widely heldas forces for good (or at least not outright evil). monster: A generality applied toall inhuman, unnatu- talereaturesthatexistin the world and preyupon humanity Numerous terms allude to the perceived varieties of mon- sters: rots, invisibles, bloovisuckers, skinchangers, ghosts, spirits, vampires, werewolves, zombies, the walking dead, rman-beasts, witches, warlocks. Also collectively called "the enemy, Most Dangerous Game (MDG): The hunt itself Also, the enemy; intelligent creatures capable of fighting back with weapons oftheir own, as opposed to relatively defense- less animals puppet: A human pawn of the supernatural, whether willing or unwitting. Also called “traitor. pylon: A normal human at the scene of hunter of monster activity when edges or supernatural effects are displayed (see gawkers). Also applied to normal people present at the moment of imbuing who do not recognize ot respond to any monstrous presence. An uncomplimentary term. Redeemer: One of a loosely recognised type of hunter who, for his own reasons, sccks out worth and value among ‘monsters rather than destroying them outright (see creed). second sight: The ability to percei least ones that attempt to hide or disguise themselves — through force of will. Also called “the sight.” soulless, the: Humans who venerate the supernatural of support its cause through “questionable behavior” (c.g nightelub goers, new agers, goths, gang members). A highly subjective term applied according to the user's own moral code and belief systems. Ironically, some hunters can be “soulless” to other hunters. Tobe affected or influenced by the Messen gers (see imbued), whether referring to another hunter ora bystander. touche oe PN sy 78 4 LYVisionary: A hunter who demonstrates a philosophical attitude toward the hunt and assumes few preconceived notions about the Heralds, monsters or the goals of the chosen (see creed). wacko: A hunter who pursues the mission to extremes, whether through willingness to make profound sacrifices, t0 accept human losses, of to profess unfathomable motives in the name of the hunt. Word, the: Hunters’ implicit language icons used to communicate simple encoded messages. yokel of supernatural folktales and legends conceming monsters, often without having tested the validity of such beliefs. HowroUse Tits Book ] This book sdivided into several chapers,each of which is designed to explore and explain a specific area of the game. Remember, though, that in a storytelling game the most ABB sportane chapters yourimagination. Never ee anything in this book be a substitute for your own creativity Chapter 1: The Here and Now (The Hunter Condi- tion) explores the existence of the imbued, what it's like to leaen thatthe world is a lie and that monsters ae real Ff Chapter 2: A Woeld of Darkness (Setting) isa hunter accountofthe worldas it really is andthe dangers thatawait ‘everywhere, from your hometown to far-flung lands. ‘The Hunter's Creed (Character Types) Chapter i details the seven types of hunters who stalk the shadows and JMB seek our che unknown, Chapter 4: I Have Heard the Message (Creation & Traits) provides rules for creating your hunter character, A hunter who believes in and professes the wisdom Boats cutis md ratings he has Chapter 5: The Hunter's Edge (Powers) offers rules for the freakish abilicies apparently granted by the Messengers. Chapter 6: Laws of the Hunt (Rules) provides the basic means of resolving characters various actions Chapter 7: Tools of the Hunt (Systems) describes a plethora of ways to simulate everything from gentle seduc- tn to brutal combat. Chapter 8: The Truth (Storytelling) tells Storytellers how to build entertaining stories in which to involve the characters Chapter 9: The Enemy (Antagonists) offers some insights and reveals the greater unknown about monsters Iunters' foes Finally, the Appendices provide addenda and some nascent hunter societies that form... and collapse Live-Revton Most Hunter games take place around a tabletop, and the players describe what their characters say and do. How ever, games can also be conducted through live-action play. an eer eee eo ee = This exciting form of gaming bears similarities to improvisa- tional theater, in thar playersactually dressas their characters and act out their characters’ scenes as though they were actors in a play. Thus, rather than saying, "My character walks over tothe table and picks up the ancient document,” you, the player, actually get up, walk over to a properly decorated table and pick up the “ancient document” (prob- ably a prop created by the Storyteller — for example, apiece of parchment that’s been scorched around the edges and “aged,” with a coating of flour “dust”). A Storytellerstill guides the action and directs the plot; the Storyteller describes special features ofthe se sees challenges the characters undergo, and may interrupt the action at any time, Live-action roleplaying does not typically use dice; alternate systems, such as those presented in White Wolf's Mind's Eye Theatre line of products, take the place of dice when determining the results of challenges. Most situations are resolved simply through acting and the Storyteller’s decisions. Surcous ‘Some rules are necessary to ensure that live-action is safe and enjoyable forall participanes and onlookers. Unlike any other ules in this book, these rules must be followed '* No Touching: Period. All combat and physical ction must be handled through dice of other abstract systems. Players must never strike, grappl touch anyone during the game. It is the Storyteller’s re- sponsibility eo call a time-out if one or more players get overly cambunetious. ‘or otherwise {0 Weapons: Props such as hats, period dress and Weapons arent. Period. No knives, no swords and nothing that even re- motely resembles a firearm. Don’t even bring fake swords, squirt guns, or foam-rubber weapons. If your character must ry a “weapon,” take an index card and write “gun” or “sword” ot whatever oni; during combat challenges, present the card to the Storyteller, who adjudicates its use in play. ccanes are great in a live-action game * Play ina Designated Are: played in the home or other predetermined spot. Don't in- volve onlookers in the game, and make sure everyone in the area, or anyone passing through the area, understands exactly ‘what you're doing. A gamecan look disturbing, even fighten- ing, to people who aren't aware of what's going on. Don’t try to shock or intimidate passersby; such behavior is not only immatute, ic could lead to well-deserved prosecution, *# Know When to Stop: Ifthe Storyteller calls fora time- cout or other break in the action, stop immediately. The Storyteller remains the final arbiter ofall events in the game Likewise, when the game session ends, put away your cos- ‘ume and call ita night. ‘= Te’'s Only a Game: Live-action is for having fun. Ifa rival wins, ifa character dies, fa plan goes awry, i's not the ve-aetion is meant ro beare CY end of the world. Sometimes, players like to get together outside the game and talk about it —say, a far. Remember, everyone’s doing this to have fun! The Bottom Line: Live-action can fi cally not about does itentail en You are nora cone in the game. Source Maven. There's a host of inspirational material cout there that relates to Hunter. Some of it portrays the actual pursuit and hunting of creatures, mundane or supernatural, and re veals the lengths to which predator and prey go to survi pict World of Darknes ens” in different ways, thus capture some of that same flavor in your character or game. Recommended i cludes: Dracula, by Bras particularly for Van Hi ature ine still insightful monster hunters from DC Comics; the foremost monster hunter of his time); anything with pulp-era characters such as the Shadow, DocSavage, the Avenger or the Spider (though campy, these fellas battle their share of abominations). Movies and TV. The list is endless, It includes pretty much any horror flick that requires a weak, uninitiated protagonist to contend with che unknown. Then again, there are some pretty silly ones, with way-out-there heroes, but they can still fie the bill. The Night Stalker; Lost Boys; Fright Night: John Carpenter's Vampires: Blale Runner: Blades Vampire Hunter D; Kinded: The Embraced (Eley, why not); They Live; Night ofthe Living Dead (the first and no others); In other White Wolf rulebooks, a developer's statement usually comes at che very end, where he explains all the trials and tribulations suffered co make his vision a reality. We're changing that approach, because we have something different to say From its inception, Hunter: The Reckoning has been created as a storytelling game about real people. ‘When we say “real people,” we don’t mean ex-Navy Seals, hired assassins, one-time vampire ghouls, gov cemmentagents, prowrestlers or jungle explorers. When we say “real people,” we mean steelworkers, doctors, parents, students, garbage collectors and brick layers. you and me, and the ordinary people we know. Hunter is not about superheroic exploits and guns, guns, guns. Sure, it can be, but that’s not the point. This game is about the horror of living a mundane, everyday, blue-collar life and suddenly be- Exit Dead] Army of Darkness; The Silence of the Lambs; The X- Files; From Dusk Till Dawn; and let’s not forget Buffy the Vampire Slayer in any incarnation. The Equalizer, although not horror, regularly examined theemotional cost toitshero, given his superior talent for killing bad people. For a great portrayal of an everyman in the grip of an inexplicable jbsession, see the original Close Encounters ofthe Thind Kind (as opposed to the Special Edition). And for ideas to keep your Hunter game as realistic, humbling and harsh as possible, watch Deliverance. ing confronted with a terrifying, wretched reality Monsters exist. We are their playthings. Whereas Sgt Rex Hazzard mighe bristle with firearms in response to that truth, everyman John Smith must face the same creatures with only his wits, his will and whatever courage he can muster. Hazzard’s story is stupid and boring. That guy isn't even like us; his life is two dimensional. Smith's story, though, is plausible, trau- matic and intriguing. We can identify with him and play him realistically in a world gone utterly wrong, So when you read this book and play this game, please consider the kinds of characters and stories for which it was created. Yeah, you can play an ex-Navy Seal ass-kicker, but you'd be missing the point. Ask yourself what it would be like to bea simple tempordock worker, instead. Your Hunter stories will beall the more entertaining for it eS see weed et Ee » © es EEIo Internet Browser: Hunter-Net - Home Page «> ackward Forward Redraw eea°o 8 6 BF 2 I) Homepage History Prining Save Proferences Valiuuietunilueaalet Email Program Subject [OurPurpose Jo: hunter list@hunter-net.org 0 | From: |cabbie22 MSE be MeSbes Copied To: Tepisses me off. Freedom's just another word for illusion. More wool for monsters to pull over our eyes. I’m not saying people aren't to blame for beingstupid or lazy or terrible —when weact that way, we enjoy it too much. That can’t he the monsters’ making too, can it? What Thate is how we've never had a decent chance. I know plenty of good people — ones like my father, who scraped his way from nothing to give mea chance. They try and try but never, get as far as they could or should. | get pissed when I think about how monsters — these things that play with people like they're toys — might be the reason good people get nowhere. So while I'm ready to bust their fucking skulls in, I just want to keep them off the backs of the _good_peopleheir oe x — Ezekiel 38:7 Frowrrne Journ oF De. Cantzron YAW vk Oerosn2, i999 A singular occurrence today, even by the peculiar stan- dards of my investigations. I have had a diferent sore of revelation, I suppose, though l hesitate to use such religiously charged terminology T was pursuing #11, my current subject. It drove to a drugstore and I waited outs to its vehicle. In the T has been frustratingly able 0 clude me when it perceived pursuit, and I was determined t0 stay as far back ftom it as I could. However, when I heard a commotion inside the store, I approached cautiously. confident that it would return #11 nearly ran into me as it came out the door. Inside, people were screaming, bur several were pursuing it. (I later learned their names: Jared, “Leaf” and "Oaken.”) Ie is important for me to capture my perceptions now, while they're stl fresh in my mind. I saw #11, just as I have previously seenit:asa walking compse, with sagging pallid skin, and mealy rot in its eye sockets. What soon became apparent was that, at last, I was not the only person making this CHAPTER i: THE HERE AND NOW THE HUNTER CONDITION), Be thow prepared, and prepare for ehyself,thow, and all thy company that are assembled unto thee, and be thow a guar unto them. ponytalandadourexprssion. However athesametime, saw the decaying lsh punctuated with rotted gaps thar appeared ro re with only a minor exertion, There was no flickering, no overlap — not like a double exposed photograph. Confronting! insuch unplanned eireurmstancesmade sme blurt out che question that had haunted me for so long “What are you?” 11's reply was an unpoeti "Fuck you!” and an attempt to claw my face with its hideous nails. I recoiled, drew my pistol and fred Then I saw the truly extraordinary thing. A slender black man (Jated) who appeared to be holding a lange, red- Fhot metal bar in both hands lunged through the doorway and struck #11 fom behind, A plump woman ("Lea?’) and her ruddy companion (*Oaken") followed him closely. True to form,#11 barely acknowledged the bullet wound: or the blow from the glowing bar. Then it made a strange, almost flamboyant gesture. As it did so, a peculiar, sourceless blackness seemed to flow around it like a fog of ink. Sur- rounded by this shadow, ic raced toward its car. I fired at it again and hit, as Jared shouted, “Where'd it go?” “Don't you see it? The El Camino, that's is ear!” The creature was trying to pull its keys from its pocket Jared, slashing wildly with the bac, moved toward it.I drew a Thecranebebire me resemble nahingso chasse festa Vnrmally thelS a pléyorg wom wih = nan 70 ag ees te0 an 2 Saw past ye Mens bbead when Oaken yelled, “Don't shoot!" and put his hand on. smyarm. Atthe time, assumed he was worried about me hitting Jared. #11 got itscardoor open and, seeing that, Jared struckat it again — a glancing blow off the creatuce thar nonetheless shattered the car's window. #11 gave Jareda tremendousshove backward and slammed the door shut. [fred again and missed. “What is that thing?” the woman demanded. “Notime toexplain,” shouted, sprinting to my ownear and continuing to fite at #11. I did not hit it. Icouldhearsirensin the distances got to my ca. Iwas fumbling the keys into the ignition when Iheard aknock on ry window. Jared looked in at me with wide eyes. “You know what that thing is” he shouted. I nodded. “Then I'm coming with you," he declared. With only a moment todecide, I hit the electric lock on my car. He leape incothe backseat and we rolled fin pursuit, leavingLeaf and Oaken behind. Unfortunately, #11 proved to be elusive yet again. I drove by its residence but its ear was not to be found, (Our trip gave Jared and myself an opportunity to make our introductions, once we had calmed down somewhat from the excitement of immediate danger, Jared informed ime thar he’sa bartender, Not wanting to go into the tedious truth, toldhim] wasa consultingphysician. We exchanged phone numbers and then he asked me, point blank, “What the fuck was that rotting thing?” I explained that #11 appeared to conform in some ways to the behaviors and abilities of a mythical “ “ghost.” Hewas quiet fora moment, then said thatifhe hadn't seenit, he wouldnt have believed it. concurred completely. smbie” or Once there was no immediate peril, Jared seemed to rethink his previous rash courage. He asked ifthe thing” was going to come hack to itshouse. explained that itseemed to have some attachment to the building andoften stayed there covernighe when njuzed, added cha itdid not appear to need sleep and told him of pursing it once for 72 hours uninter- rupted (che time it drove to Indiana and killed those «wo «eenagers). He asked how it had vanished in the parking lot and how I had been able to see it.I said I didn’t know T must confess that at thar point I was hoping {had met another delver into the occult. I have long feared I was the ‘only one. I hypothesized that my pursuit of non-normal creatures had allowed me to develop an iromunity to theit peculiar abilities. If Jared was a similar researcher, that ‘would explain is immunity as well, but it was nat so. His story was this He was in the drugstore to seta pack of cigareces (he asked to smoke in my car and complained when I sid no). Suklenly he heard a voice “like from nowhere” saying. "Iedoes not live.” He looked and ealized that che man behind him in the cashier line was a walking compse. Aprat- «ently noone else i the store saw the thing, except for “those two fat hippies." Everyone else fled when the “ight” broke out. The woman, whowas behind #1 1,askedieifitwasall right (opparentlythinkingit wasinjured). Irshoved heraway andthe rman with her interposed himself between it and the woman. Jared had seen enough. Since #11 had tured its back tohim co assault the woman, Jared attempted to seize it. Irbroke his grip and fled, running into me inthe doorway. asked himabout the slowingmetalbor.Jaredhad noidea where tcamefrom. Heseid fefele hot, but did not bur. It “just appeared.” Jared was increasingly impatient: He did not want to get cout of my car to smoke, but he seemed unwilling to wait quietly. Eventually, he sugested going back ro the drugstore ‘Ac that point, Lwas quite happy co part company, sof agred. The police were still at the drugstore taking statements, Jared's eyes narrowed when he saw them. He sugested I drop himatthecomer. When he sawthat intended to re-enter the store, he said, “Just be cool. Act like you're just getting some smokes of something.” In another mood I might have been amused by him presuming to tell me how to evade unwanted police attention. At that point I was just annoyed, Tas inside the drugstore before Isa that the “two fat hippies" were sill there. The woman was saying something coanofficer about a badly injured man who became violent when approached.” The man had buttonholed one of the offcers and was quietly explaining that his wife had been under a great deal of stain. I was tying co hear what was going on, but at that point a policeman stepped in feont of ime, rolled his eyes and asked, “Okay, so what's your story? Violent robbery wth lots of gunshots but nobody hur, o the walking dead and black dudes with flaming swords?” T gave him a nonplused lok and said, “Actually, I just came to get new TV Guide. My eat threw upon my old one.” He laughed and shook his had. Looking past hi saw the hippie man lookingrightatme. He nodded, and Inowded subtly back. Ducking into the magazine eile | looked around. See ingnone, pulled bill fom my wallet and wrote my phone number on i. I paid for the TV Guide and paused to tie my shoe asthe police departed. The woman was stil trying t0 explain to them what she'd seen, and their attempts to placate her were becoming increasingly brief and obviously feigned. She followed them to the parking lot, her husband trailing behind. Asthepolicedzove way, [approached them and held out the bill “1 think you dropped this,” I said ‘The woman gave me a hard look with squinced eyes. ‘The man’s glance was more open and steady, and he took the money. “'m Dr. Van Wyk," I said. “'m Oaken,” he said. “This is Leaf.” ‘They left. drove past #11's home. Still no car. I waited three hours, my mind preoccupied and perplexed. | have reached only two tentative conclusions: Pethaps I now see the world as may quarry does, and perhaps I am no longer alone. SS en eee ee fo COE gy Ree EE oe get ee EEMy friends, we are part of the most evi, criminal conspiracy in the history of mankind. We are the few remaining tools of an evil regime, and members of its broken leadership are using Us to protect themselves and increase their power. In 1950, the CIA started Project BLUEBIRD, aresearch project to asses the use of drugs and hypnosis for mind control. In 1952, BLUEBIRD was replaced by ARTICHOKE, and in 1953 it reached its final form as MK-ULTRA. By most accounts, the CiA never “perfected” mind con- trol — they just learned 8 great deal about altering people's perceptions and memories. In 1954, James Jesus Angleton became the director of counterintelligence for the CIA. He served in that position for 20 years, and for the (great bulk of his tenure he believed that the CIA had been severely compromised by the KGB, Several Soviet defectors supported his suspi- cions about a mole known only as “Sasha” — a KGB agent who worked in the CIA —and who had atleast as much authority as Angleton himself! ‘At the same time, the KGB was busy inves- tigating incidents of extrasensory perception. telekinesis and similar “psychic” abilties. Several sources indicate that the USSR had the coopere- tion of Red China —andthrough that cooperation, ‘access to the largest population base on planet Earth. Even if psychic ability is rare in nature, even if it only happens once in a million births, then China had a potential of 2000 natural psychics for this research to find, Now, | didn't use to believe in mind reading and telekinesis and all that jazz, but then again. Td never seen a walking “corpse” either. The literature on psychic abilties is full of things that, sound familiar to us, though: setting things on. fire or destroying them without touching them: changing another person's behavior simply through an effort of wil, getting glimpses of the future, or the past, or distant places. Seeing what we've seen, is it so hard to believe we're psychic? | don't think so. What is hard to believe is that a number of psychics would all simultaneously have their abilities kick in — and only in the presence of some kind of “monster.” That staggers all probability. THe TRUTH ABOUT “THE IMBUED” What's more likely is that we were all pushed to be psychic — maybe with drugs, or training or surgery — and probably as children or young adults. After all, the oldest. known imbued person is, what, SO or 60? Meaning theyd have been 10 years old when these projects were just getting started. A mind still ‘young and malleable, waitingto be improved — and indoctrinated For that, | believe, is what happened to us. We were made psychic, and we were brain- washed to ignore our powers. Released into “normal” society, we were a legion of sleeper agents, waiting for the proper commands to starcusing our abilties on behalf of our masters. The problem {from their point of view] was: how to ensure loyalty and obedience? Even MK-ULTRA never completely succeeded. They never broke free will. They could confound our perceptions and make us see whatever they wanted, but they couldn't control our choices. But really, it's not much of a challenge to manipulate someone if you can control what they see. Want your psychic sleeper soldier to carry out a “hit” on @ prominent businessman with CIA ties? Simple: Just.change perception. Just make the businessman look like a mon- ster. Your psychic soldier, overcome with revulsion and fear, lashes out, — and even if he's killed or captured, there's no trail that: leads back to his real masters. Now that the USSR has collapsed, you've no doubt heard people fretting about nuclear weapons falling into the hands of terrorist nations. But imagine you're Wan of the KGB, and you've got the control codes for a cadre of American sleeper agents — citizens of the USA, unaware of their true nature, and armed with’ terrible psychic powers. What are you going to do with them? Sell thern to the highest. bidder? Get revenge on the nation that, de- stroyed your "Communist, Utopia"? Use them to protect and enrich yourself? The mind boggles — but this, my friends, is the truth behind the “Messengers” and the "creatures' we're supposed to hunt.Pp Pee geet et Mis evonen7, 1999 Ihave not had time to write —barely time to think i but now my convalescence forces me to rest and gives me opportunity for introspection, Mecting Jared and the other two has simultaneously reassured and troubled me. was never disposed previously t0 theexplanacion chat had gone mad. Ironically, only now do Ind myself considering the possibilty chat 'am caughe up in some mass hysteria Ultimately, however [feel as [always have, that my senses ae to he trusted. In the few brief days since the drugstore encounter, I have spotted ewo more extranorial subjects — humman-shaped beings that do not seem to be visible or tangible to ordinary people. Uhave started note- books #12 and #13 accordinely Pethaps more important, Jared contacted me. Initially he suspected that hissantyhad led (certainly a resonable suspicion), and he called me to reasure himself that what hhe'd seen had occurred. I described for him the events atthe drugstore after we'd parted — including the policeman’ «questioning me — to ssa him that t had. He told me that Since then, he'd lt jumpy, restless —andhaeasured me that ‘hile he was usually“chill he constantly oundhis thoughts {eturning to subject #1 and its house. He suggested that we take a look Looking back, I find this curious. To be frank, Jared seruck me a the las ype who would get involved in some kind of crusade for knowledge of “the good of humanity.” He’ your standard, unmotivated, apathetic, wooly-think- ing drudge, Admittedly, seeing #11 in all ts roted splendor 7 could tend ro shake 2 man out of his rut, but a mote “reasonable” explanation ~~ error, hoax, drug flashback, HOF eesee cone would rely oll ee creat someone whohasa stake in hing being the way they appear. Yer jared doesn't cower ack into delusion. He has chosen W the uply truth over the comforting lie. Perhaps there's more fi tohimthan there appears curiosity and drive! [picked Jared up aris home —an unkempt apartment complex frequently mentioned in the newspaper's crime Calendar. It wosnt far fom #11's lit. When we arrived, we fawell'syehicle in the earpore. Jared immediately unlocked hisdoorandstartedto get out. twas only then that smelled whiskey om his breath “Whatare you doing” asked. He turned tome, Heyes swore wide and bright." going to kick some as," he sad, his voice thick but distinct. I rold him not toe folish that we must approach carefully, He smirked and when be Spoke again his voice was slured — whether from drink or ifom habitual bad diction, I couldn't rel “Allright, here's what we do: 'l go ring the bel, then I runaround these of the house. You stay way back here and bucifnot, where did he gain this watch the door through your fuckin’ binoculars. Then I'l come back here and check with you. Ifthe thin ccan sneak in and jump it fit ain't, we can sn for i.” “Jared, I've w: ‘sthere, we akin and wait ced it for some time. What makes you think we can survive a direct confrontation?” POEL “Shit, if you can survive, I fuckin’ can, and if both of us do, that means we can. Besides, you heard that cop. P'm the nigger with the flaming sword.” He did not wait to hear my arguments, but set offfor the door. I resigned myself to doing as he asked. As it happened, rho one answered the door by the time he came back — he must have circled the block. I didn’t see him because I was watching for #11 “The locks are new, but there's a broken screen in back. We can get in.” T pointed out that ift was on foot, iewas likely co return soon. With perfect pretzel logic, Jared decided that was all the more reason to move quickly. Unwilling to let this e #11 alone, I was unwillingly drawn into the ‘With a skill and confidence that might have disturbed re in other circumstances, Jared got us into the house. He staked out the front door while I watched the back, pistol in hand. At Jared's suggestion, [had also armed myself with a plank as @ makeshift club. Such timber scraps were scattered about the yard. The house looked practically abandoned. Thad hoped toexamine the ereature’s domain at length, but not to the extent that | was willing to endanger our ambush. Thad thought I was well hidden in the shadows ofthe hallway, carefully aiming at the back coor, but #11 spotted me somehow, even through the back door'sdingy window. It immediately ducked its head and bolted toward the side of the house. shouted a warning to Jared, who ran toward me. T motioned him back, but he didn't know how fast #11 could move. There wasa crash as it leapt through the window and seized him. Jared was on the floor, his brown face darkening as 11's fingers closed around his neck. I stepped up and put my gun to#11's head, bt its hand swept up with such speed and violence that the gun flew from my broken fingers. screamed, but to strike me, the creature had necessarily released Jared. The glowing brand appeared in his hands — and though I was there ths time, | eannot clearly narrate its formation. He drove it into #11’ belly. Theereature leapt back, tsshirtsmoldering from thehe of Jared’s mysterious weapon — but for all that, apparently unfazed by its injuries. Jared swungatit fiercely. Itdodged with pretematural speed, following up with asavage blow to Jared's jaw. He dropped, stunned, but by then I had seized my pistol and fired at the creature as best | could left-handed. I do not know if I stuck i or not. I closed in on me, its hands baled into double fst, and with one blow knocked me off my feet. [vividly cecal a distinee pop as my mandible separated from my temporal bone “Who are you? Why are you tormenting me” #11 demanded (a question which, in retrospect, strikes me as extremely ironic given our respective positions at the time) 1 just smiled, because I could see Jared stumbling to his feet behind thecretre. Tocoverche sounds fared sapprosch, laughed. That, I started laughing, but ended screat aS EO SR ah es ~ teeny ieee en hh Fitna ou up etl cosas Man ene eS en ey 2 ew i: ar =eCat a tat) creature — nearly in half, like he was splicting log. #11 fell ——————~ . “Fuck you itch!” was Jared's battle cry as he cut the “Shit man, how you doing that?” I didn’t immediately know whathe AYP since then Ihave observed the ccuts on my fingers where the trigger guard he wore closing visibly. Bruises on my face were fading even as he watched Somehow he managed to drive back to my residence, th 1 o ily Jac initia z gh mu sensation ia his arms as he deale the final blow. ‘guess what that portend. (Later.) a initial impressions. What stands estion 10 me. It seems that not behold understand the ppening to me. Have I become a ¥ mark } wad bes Eby tial ations Lasse Uh ' fn dhe chroat, I explained cautiously how Ly my own say that the thing was simply wrong. That much was already evident tome. Then | ventured how I saw more ofthe "rouch therap independentcreatures and started my surveillance, but had not met others with the same experiences till now. They were suitably im- pressed and wished to know more ‘They told me they had “seen a vision” of a dark, batlike figure killing someone in analley close to their home. When they went co the alley they actualy arrived before the event, which played out much like their vision — save that, with them present, the arrack was aborted before it had properly begun. I asked if they had pursued or apprehended the creature, and they answered in the negative Curiouser and curiouser. If I thought Jared was an. unlikely eandidate fr “delver into concealed truths,” was only because | hadn't enjoyed a long conversation with this pai. Jared i, at least, practical. Before our drugstore inci- dent, I suspect he gave little thought to a larger world of metaphysics. Leaf and Oaken, by contrast, have put a great deal of effort into persuading themselves that a great groan- ing load of new-age sewage is true (or potentially true). While this gives them a framework from which to address what they sa, 1 fea itis one that will almost certainly lead them to incorrect, sentimental and highly subjective concla-